Billy Joel declares the moment The Rolling Stones should have split up
Rock and roll music has always been rooted in youth culture. The inherently rebellious nature of the genre lends itself quite nicely to teenage angst and a desire for each generation to set itself apart from what has come before. While this generational gap has been the driving force behind many important rock innovations, it also provides a controversial question surrounding the age at which rock stars like The Rolling Stones should grow up and move on.
During their infancy, The Rolling Stones were the poster boys of 1960s teenage angst, complete with shaggy hairdos and defiant blues-rock anthems. Pretty soon, however, Jagger and company began to dedicate themselves to more mature rock and roll, even flirting with the new world of psychedelia on Their Satanic Majesties Request. After immersing themselves in the counterculture age, The Stones resigned themselves to life as an ageing arena rock outfit, continuing to tour and record material even today, with both Jagger and Richards in their 80s.
So, the question remains: can The Rolling Stones truly retain their original ethos as adolescent rebels? Of course, the answer is no. Mick Jagger is a multi-millionaire who has spent upwards of six decades being cheered for as though he were a god; he is firmly a part of the musical establishment, regardless of his original image back in the 1960s. There are multiple people out there who firmly believe the band should have thrown in the towel years ago. Among those non-believers is the pop rock master Billy Joel.
Joel’s music has never been particularly youth-focused, usually favouring middle-of-the-road commercial appeal. Nevertheless, the songwriter has seen a lot of incredible musicians come and go over the years, with The Rolling Stones being one of only a few that have stuck around. Last year, the ‘Piano Man’ singer reflected on the ageing of rock and roll’s early generations, highlighting The Rolling Stones as a group that should have probably called it a day long ago.
Talking to The Los Angeles Times, Joel spoke about the death of the Stones’ drummer Charlie Watts, who passed away in 2021, saying, “The drummer they were using, Steve Jordan, he’s great. But I would have wanted to see Charlie, honestly”.
He added: “I mean, when Bill Wyman left, I sort of felt like that was it for the Stones. But they don’t stop”. Not only did the band not stop after the death of Watts, but they went on to record an entirely new album, Hackney Diamonds, without him.
Wyman was a cornerstone of The Rolling Stones during the early years, having joined the ranks in 1962 and created some truly unforgettable basslines during his time with the band. Although he might not have been afforded the same reputation as Jagger or Richards, Wyman’s influence on the group was undeniable. So, when the bassist left the group in 1993 to pursue other interests, many people – Joel included – saw it as the end of an era for the group.
“I think it’s an English thing,” Joel concluded, “Scotsmen have a reputation for being tight with a penny, but the English give them a good run for their money”. Mind you, Joel himself has released new material this year, in the form of ‘Turn the Lights Back On’, so he should perhaps not be the one to cast stones at The Rolling Stones for carrying on into old age.